Aaron Brilbeck

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13 Fascinating Facts about Aaron Brilbeck
• I began working in broadcasting as a DJ with a radio station in Syracuse, NY when I was just 14 years old. I started reporting and anchoring news for that same station when I was 16.
• My first car was a 1960 Hearse.
• I've been friends with my wife since we were 13 years old, but we didn't become romantically involved until 10 years later.
• I've been a member of the Guardian Angels for the better part of 25 years. Most recently I oversaw patrols for Toledo, Cleveland, Akron and Detroit.
• I taught self defense for 3 years.
• My mother & grandmother raised me.
• In college, I took an interpretive dance class---and failed.
• I'm an avid motorcyclist.
• I taught college broadcast journalism for a year.
• I am deathly afraid of spiders.
• For several years I volunteered as a ghoul in a haunted house to benefit the Make A Wish Foundation.
• I've been shot at---twice.
• I hate onions!
Aaron Brilbeck came to WHO-DT in November 2009 and is a reporter for Channel 13 News at 5, 6, 9 and 10.

Aaron came to Iowa from Toledo, Ohio where he reported and anchored for WNWO, the market's NBC affiliate and reported for WSPD Radio.

Aaron is an accomplished journalist earning several distinguished honors including a National Edward R. Murrow award for Spot News Coverage in 2004 plus regional Edward R. Murrow awards for Best Investigation, Best Continuing Coverage and Spot News.

Prior to Toledo, Aaron worked as a reporter at WXXA-TV and WGY Radio in Albany, New York from 2000 to 2005. He has B.A. degree in Communications from SUNY Potsdam and an A.A.S. degree in Broadcast Journalism from Onondaga Community College.

Recent Articles

DES MOINES, Iowa — Disgraced former Des Moines cop Cody Grimes may soon be in a police uniform again, even though the department doesn’t want him there. Grimes was fired after he was arrested on a domestic assault charge in 2013, but now the city’s civil service commission is expected to order Grimes be reinstated. The woman he is accused of beating, his ex-girlfriend named Alexandria, says she was forced to move to another state because she’s so afraid of […]

MYSTIC, Iowa — Beth Miner of Mystic is scared. This past weekend, the barn at her non-profit animal rescue Heart for Hooves burned down. Several of her rescued animals died in the blaze. “We had two nannies and their five kids in there,” Miner says, “There are just no words to describe coming out and seeing that lives were taken. I mean…it’s hard.” What’s even harder is going forward, knowing that the remaining animals, almost 20-horses, some goats and a […]

DES MOINES, Iowa — A career criminal is charged with robbing a bank, while he was on work release from prison. Des Moines police say 48-year old Laymon English tried to hold up the U.S. Bank on East Euclid Friday afternoon. He was on work release at the time after serving seven years for armed robbery. But his plans to rob the bank were foiled by two customers who wrestled him to the ground. One of those customers is 64-year […]

DES MOINES, Iowa – A new law in California may lead to higher food prices here in Iowa. The law requires egg producers to house hens in cages large enough that they can spread their wings. Egg farmers in Iowa, Ohio and other states will have to abide by the California law if they want to sell eggs there. So they’ll have to spend thousands, even millions of dollars revamping hen houses. And because the hens won’t be as close […]

DES MOINES, Iowa — Christmas Eve is the one year anniversary of the murder of Johnita Clemons. “The pain that we have… it’ll never be the same, you know? Christmas, we’ll get through it. Christmases will get better,” said Vicki Daniels, sister of Clemons. “The pain that we have in our heart missing Johnita, that will never go away. That will never go away.” Clemons was shot in her home on Francis Avenue last Christmas Eve. The family hopes that sharing […]

VAN METER, Iowa — Police in Van Meter say a man stole an ATM from a local bar. And finding the suspect shouldn’t be hard. They have a very good picture of him. Police tell us the suspect broke into Legends Field House Bar at around 2:30 Wednesday morning and pulled the ATM out using a truck and a tow rope. The thief and an accomplice then loaded it into what police believe is a late 90’s, possibly red Chevy Tahoe […]

DES MOINES, Iowa — Des Moines Police are investigating a possible drive by shooting on the city’s east side, but officers are not discussing the details. Neighbors say at around 5:30 Tuesday evening, someone opened fire on a house near the corner of Dean Avenue and East 15th Street. Neighbor Larry Johnson says this has become pretty common. “I heard about six gunshots and I looked out the window right away,” Johnson said, “I didn’t see anything. I was on the […]

DES MOINES, Iowa — Animals removed from a controversial mall zoo over the weekend have new homes. A room at the ARL is a temporary home for four animals seized from the Pella Wildlife Company exhibit at Merle Hay Mall. In a few days the raccoon, opossum, porcupine, and armadillo be on their way to an animal sanctuary in Arizona. Eighteen of the larger animals including black bears, foxes, and large cats have been taken to The Wild Animal Sanctuary […]

ALTOONA, Iowa — An Altoona couple will likely spend their Christmas behind bars. Jennifer Mills, 25, and her boyfriend, 25-year-old Christopher Whitfield face a number of charges including child neglect and possession of marijuana with intent to deliver. Police say they found two children in the couple’s filthy and dangerous apartment. Police say they were tipped off to the alleged abuse by a preschool teacher who reported that one three year old student wasn’t being cared for properly. “Was coming […]

AMES, Iowa — `Tis just days before Christmas and all through out Ames cops are looking for a thief playing naughty reindeer games. “We`ve had some thefts and they`ve all been deer or reindeer ornaments in people`s yards,” Ames Police Commander Geoff Huff said. Then a break in the case kids walking down the street dragging those reindeer along by their feet. “Knowing that we`ve had those thefts they spoke with those kids and they actually said that they got […]

DES MOINES, Iowa — ‘Tis the season. The flu season. And it’s hitting hard. Mark Cooke of Des Moines decided to get himself checked out at Mercy Medical Center after fighting sickness for several days. “Started out as a sore throat,” Cooke says, “Then the next few days started getting a light fever. I wasn’t able to eat anything except a few crackers. Coffee.” Cooke’s not alone. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu is widespread in […]

NEVADA, Iowa — Police say a Nevada man went on a rampage, setting two fires before slamming his pick up truck into the convenience store where his ex-girlfriend works. Surveillance video shows 38-year-old Matthew Henrich backing his pick up truck into the Good And Quick Convenience Store Thursday, missing customers and the owner by just a few feet. “One guy jumped at the counter towards me, two guys jumped to the side, and Lonnie Clark came within a foot of […]